MOORE, SHEPARD SHARE LEAD AT MEDICUS PRESEASON JUNIOR AT CALLAWAYGARDENS

Piccio sets pace in Girls Division with a 6-under-par 66

PINE MOUNTAIN, Ga. â€“ Brian Moore of Douglasville, Ga., and Dylan Shepard of Crestwood, Ky., each shot an opening-round 2-under-par 70 to tie for the lead in the Boys Division of the Medicus Preseason Junior at CallawayGardens Tuesday. In the Girls Division, Maria Piccio of Bradenton, Fla., scorched the course with a round of 6-under-par 66 for the first-round lead.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Medicus Preseason Junior at CallawayGardens is a 36-hole stroke play event being held at CallawayGardens â€“ Mountain View Golf Course. The tournament field consists of 72 boys and 18 girls, ages 12-18, from 20 states, Canada, China and Bermuda. The Boys Division is playing the par-72 course at 6,936 yards, while the Girls Division is playing at 5,941 yards.

Mooreâ€™s round featured six birdies against four bogeys and a back nine score of 3-under-par 33.

Despite making the six birdies, Moore said the key point in his round was narrowly escaping water and carding a par on No. 15, the signature par-5 on the Mountain View Golf Course.

â€śI got a good break,â€ť Moore said. â€śIt went right off the tee, hit a tree and came straight down.â€ť

Shepard said that his round of five birdies and three bogeys was keyed by solid putting. He added that his best shot came on the par-3 No. 8.

â€śIt was the best shot Iâ€™ve hit all week,â€ť Shepard said. â€śI hit a 6-iron about five feet behind the hole.It was a little quick coming down but I managed to sneak the putt in there.â€ť

Four players finished the day tied for third place.James Williams of Lincolnton, Ga., Zach Hartman of Lookout Mountain, Ga., Will Garner of Auburn, Ala., and William Sigg of Augusta, Ga., all carded even-par rounds of 72 for the first round.

In the Girls Division, Piccioâ€™s bogey-free round of 66 beat her personal-best tournament score by one, and included four birdies and an eagle.

Piccio opened with six straight pars before a driver and 5-iron left her a five foot putt for eagle on the par-5 No. 7. She said that that 5-iron, along with a 7-iron struck to four feet on the par-3 No. 12, were her best swings of the day.

â€śMy putting was good, and my ball-striking was really good too,â€ť Piccio said. â€śI only missed two greens all day.â€ť

In second place with a score of 3-over-par 75 is Samantha Arena of Lansdale, Pa. Rounding out the top three at 4-over-par 76 is Lauren Cate of St. Augustine, Fla.

Medicus Golf and The Medicus Golf Institute are dedicated to enabling all golfers to â€śLive Their Visionâ€ť in reaching their potential. By expanding its corporate vision, mission, products and services, Medicus Golf will enable golfers to learn and grow â€” both as a person and as a player â€” in a series of new and exciting developmental formats.

Medicus Golf enters its third year of sponsorship of the AJGA by supporting the Medicus Preseason Series. The Medicus Learning System, a comprehensive series of golf training aids, is dedicated to assisting golfers of all ages.

The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA, the largest Association of its kind, has an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and 30 foreign countries.

Titleist, the AJGA's National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association's success since 1989. Rolex Watch USA, which is in its third decade of AJGA support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, Polo Ralph Lauren became the AJGA's second Premier Partner.

Final-round tee times for the Medicus Preseason Junior at CallawayGardens will start at 7:30 a.m. off the No. 1 tee at CallawayGardens â€“ Mountain View Golf Course. For more information on the Medicus Preseason Junior at CallawayGardens, please call (706) 663-6799 and ask for AJGA Tournament Headquarters.

The American Junior Golf Foundation is the primary recipient of all charitable giving to the AJGA and as such administers a variety of programs designed to compliment the AJGA and the members and families who make up our community. Learn more about these important programs and how your contributions to the Foundation secure the AJGA’s financial future for future generations to come.

The Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant program provides financial assistance to junior golfers who wish to play in AJGA events. Its goal is to give top-flight golf opportunities to young golfers regardless of financial resources. This program helps to fulfill the AJGA’s mission of developing young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf.

Leadership Links

What is Leadership Links?

Leadership Links is a new program whereby the AJGA is able to further its mission to help develop young men and women by teaching charitable giving skills and service-oriented practices at an early age. This program gives juniors all the tools necessary to donate their time, talent and resources to local charities and the AJGA youth development programs. Please click here to learn more about the program and the different opportunities available.

The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and
development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf.